Creamy Black Bean Soup (Print-Friendly)

Velvety black bean soup enriched with crispy bacon and zesty lime crema for bold flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 6 slices bacon, chopped

→ Vegetables and Aromatics

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 medium carrot, diced
05 - 1 celery stalk, diced
06 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)
07 - 2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained and rinsed
08 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
09 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Spices and Seasonings

10 - 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
11 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 - ½ teaspoon chili powder
13 - ½ teaspoon dried oregano
14 - Salt and black pepper to taste

→ For the Lime Crema

15 - ½ cup sour cream
16 - Zest and juice of 1 lime
17 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnishes

18 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
19 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving approximately 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pot.
02 - Add diced onion, carrot, celery, and minced jalapeño to the pot. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and dried oregano. Cook for 30 seconds to release the aromatic essential oils.
05 - Add black beans, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
06 - Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until smooth and creamy, or leave slightly chunky according to preference. Alternatively, blend in batches using a standard blender and return to the pot.
07 - Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in half of the cooked bacon, reserving the remainder for garnish.
08 - In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls. Swirl lime crema on top, sprinkle with reserved bacon and chopped cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The lime crema swirl feels fancy enough to impress, but it's literally just three ingredients whisked together.
  • Bacon renders its own fat for cooking, so you're not adding extra oil—just flavor.
  • It freezes beautifully, minus the crema topping you can add fresh later.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the canned beans—that starch will cloud your soup and make it taste tinny no matter what else you do right.
  • Blending the soup completely transforms it from 'bean soup with vegetables' into something that feels luxurious and velvety, which is the whole point.
  • The lime crema should always go on just before eating, or it'll lose its tang and brightness mixed into the hot soup too early.
  • Bacon fat is liquid gold here—it carries flavor in a way oil never could, so don't pour it off thinking you're being healthy.
03 -
  • Save a little bacon fat in a small jar—it's liquid gold for cooking vegetables all week long.
  • If your soup breaks or looks separated after blending, a splash of broth whisked in smooths everything back out.
  • Lime is the secret weapon here; never skip it, and always use fresh lime juice rather than bottled for that real brightness.
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